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TUCSON, Ariz. -- A Tucson High School basketball player has been left partially paralyzed after being tackled by fans celebrating his game-ending dunk Friday night.
The Arizona Republic reported on the story in Tuesday's editions.
Joe Kay, a senior and starting forward, capped Tucson's 62-54 victory over Tucson Salpointe Catholic with an exclamation slam. A group of fans overtook him after flooding the court, coaches who reviewed film of the game told the Republic. Kay suffered a fractured jaw and a torn carotid artery -- the carotid supplies blood to the brain -- and subsequently suffered a stroke, according to the newspaper's report.
Kay, a 4.0 student who has a full volleyball scholarship to Stanford, remained in intensive care Monday, listed in serious condition at the University Medical Center in Tucson. There were signs of improvement: Kay ate breakfast and said a few words, Tucson coach Gary Lewis told the Republic.
Lewis recalled in his interview with the newspaper the moments after which Kay got up and walked over to his coach with assistance.
"I got on one side and we walked him over," Lewis said. "Just before we got to the locker room, he couldn't walk at all, and we had to drag him in.
"We knew something was serious. Joe is a great communicator and he wasn't speaking at all. He wouldn't respond to us anymore."
Tucson students on Tuesday were told of Kay's injuries over the public address system, the Republic reported. Counselors were available on campus.
Kay turned 18 on Saturday. Tucson has a game Tuesday night, and Arizona's Class 5A playoffs begin in a week.
"When I left him [Monday], he gave me the thumbs up, as if to push everybody through this," Lewis told the Republic.
Dick McConnell, who coaches Tucson Sahuaro and coached Lewis in high school, consoled Lewis at his home Sunday. McConnell also watched film of Tucson's postgame.
"To think that could happen ... ," McConnell said. "When they said what happened, I had chills." McConnell had surgery in the previous week to remove plaque building on his carotid artery.
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